


Phosphorescent

by immistermercury



Series: canon fluorescent! verse [7]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: (a teddy to be specific), (you know I love that trope), Father fic, Gratuitous use of the word darling, M/M, Olly has a baby, Smut, asking permission to propose, kind of, lonely daddies, lots of happy couples, m rated bc we get to hands in boxers, none of you can change my mind, not massively relevant you can enjoy it if you haven't read that, raphael is the cutest character i've come up with, set in fluorescent verse, the boys become grandparents!, the first time they meet their new grandson, then not lonely daddies!, they come real close to fucking twice
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:16:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24391177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/immistermercury/pseuds/immistermercury
Summary: “Why don’t you tell Nonno and Baba what names we call you?” Oliver asked Raphael, so happy that the little boy had taken such a shine to them.“Papa says baby.” He grinned up at his father.“We do call you baby a lot.” Gio agreed, sitting down beside Jim. “What else?”“Teddy!” He said excitedly. “Daddy calls me Teddy.”“Because I’m Bear, so I thought my little one should be Teddy.” He smiled at Freddie, resting a hand on his shoulder when he choked up a little.“Fuck, I love you so much.” He whispered, pulling his son in for a hug, so tighter, tighter even than the day he’d watched him drive away with all of his possessions as he set out for a flat in Covent Garden. “Christ, Olly, you are the best thing I’ve ever done.”
Relationships: Jim Hutton/Freddie Mercury
Series: canon fluorescent! verse [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1363732
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14





	Phosphorescent

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nisargasinha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nisargasinha/gifts).



> I will never get bored of them being so domestic!
> 
> Gifted to Nish because she deals with me talking about writing/literature at least 6 hours a day - love you!
> 
> Timelines for the confused:  
> 1995:  
> Freddie - 44  
> Jim - 49  
> Oliver - 23  
> Talulah - 22  
> Reuben - 20  
> Zala - 19

“My feet are absolutely crippled.” Freddie laughed softly and lay down on the sofa, his legs slung haphazardly over the arm. “God, I’m too old to be doing this these days.”

“Oh, boo-hoo.” Jim grinned and pulled him closer, until Freddie’s head was cushioned on his thighs. He played idly with the wisps of his hair, momentarily mourning the days when his hair was long enough to braid, curls winding around his finger in a dance of their own. “I’ve told you a thousand times that maybe it’s time to put away the pointe shoes.”

“I’m forty-four, Christ, I’m not octogenarian.” He rolled his eyes playfully and pointed his toes though his muscles protested; he had a new fresh scar running the length of the side of his big toe.

“And you’re not nineteen anymore.” Jim leaned down and kissed his lips, smiling when Freddie’s hand cupped his cheek.

“I don’t get my kicks from sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll anymore.” Freddie laughed. “Eleven o’clock is a late night these days.”

Jim smiled and stroked his cheek with the pad of his thumb; he listened to the sounds around them. Once upon a time, the house had been alive, alive with the sound of violin and piano, or another record that Lulah had bought with the little money she earned teaching a tots class while she progressed through the school; he was used to the sound of Oliver thundering through the door, soaking wet on a late December evening, his ballet bag full of water as well as mismatched pairs of shoes and terrible leg warmers that he’d stolen from Freddie’s pile. He was used to Zala - though it was Luna these days, he smiled to himself, since she’d gone off to university - idly humming tunes as she wandered around the house mindlessly, stuck in another dream palace, another song swirling around her mind like the spoonful of sugar she took in her tea. He was used to Oliver sitting with Freddie in the evenings and talking about anything, everything, as they stretched sore and protesting muscles, as Freddie taught him to get just a little deeper into his hamstrings; they would talk about boys, about love, about the posters for a new film out that Freddie had his little cameo in - and Oliver would always, always pester him for stories of the weeks he toured with Queen, whenever he left Jim alone to look after them for the week while he toured South America, Canada, Japan, anywhere and everywhere. Reuben had always been the quietest, but he missed the days when his stomach would ache from laughing from a little sarcastic quip he made towards Freddie.

They’d always been terrible at disciplining their children, finding too much humour and joy in everything they said.

“The house is too quiet tonight.” He said softly, taking Freddie’s hand to play with his rings.

Freddie’s smile was a little sad. “I know, darling.” He said quietly. “Sometimes I can’t believe we lived alone for so long.”

Jim swallowed the lump in his throat and looked up at the ceiling - the ceiling which still, still had green poster paint on it, no matter how many times they painted over it. The sight of it made the tears spill over, and he laughed a little as he wiped his eyes. “God, I miss them.” He whispered.

“Oh, darling!” Freddie sat up and hugged him close. “I miss them too, but they’ll be home before long.”

“It feels so wrong without them here.” He admitted, winding his arms around Freddie just to keep him close. “So- so fucking quiet, I’m not ready for peace. I want toddlers again.”

“A full night’s sleep is boring when you get one every night.” Freddie chuckled and rested his head against Jim’s shoulder. “I tell you what-”

Jim watched as he stood up and held out a hand. “What?” He asked, taking his hand and standing up all the same. 

“Put a record on, darling.” Freddie stood on his toes to kiss him. “And I’ll be back.”

He ran into the kitchen, retrieving two of their best crystal glasses and pouring them both a glass of white wine; he put the bottle on ice and took it all back into the lounge. He placed them on the sideboard and shoved the coffee table out of the way with his hip, looking back at Jim with delight on his face when music filled the room.

“We have to learn to live alone again.” Freddie said resolutely, taking his hand. “But that doesn’t mean it has to be boring, and it certainly doesn’t mean the house has to be nice and clean and peaceful. It just means we piss off the neighbours in different ways.”

Jim started to smile. “What do you propose?”

“Dance with me.” He held out a hand. “And if I lose a few items of clothing in the process, then sue me.”

He laughed and took his hand, pulling their bodies as close as he could. “This reminds me of before we got married.” He kissed the side of his neck idly as they waltzed around the lounge. “When you taught me to ballroom dance.”

“And I had no idea that there was a reason you were so good at picking up the steps.” Freddie laughed. “Sometimes I still can’t believe you kept it quiet for so long. I can’t believe you were so damn scared of me.”

“You’re fucking terrifying, my love. I’ve never seen those kids so scared as when you took class that morning.” Jim chuckled and spun him around. “You’re a perfectionist.”

“God, that was hilarious. I had no fucking idea what I was doing, and yet Brian just shoved me out there to teach anyway. I totally forgot the plies until you started playing that track to remind me.” He grinned as Jim lightly pushed him against the sideboard; warm hands trailed under his shirt and pulled it over his head. “There we go.” He teased, voice warm and smooth.

Jim took a glass of wine and gently held it to Freddie’s lips; he tilted his head back a little and swallowed what he was given. Jim watched the movement of his throat hypnotically, as though in a trance, biting his lip. “I suppose there are some upsides to living as a couple again.” He murmured, leaning in to kiss the column of his throat.

Freddie moaned a little, breathy and sweet, as he bit at the join between his neck and his shoulder. “That’s it, baby, think about the good things.” He replied sweetly. “Now we get to trash the house ourselves.”

The kiss was full of heat as their lips joined, Freddie’s hands immediately going for his belt, masterfully contending with it and throwing it across the room. Jim ran a hand over his chest and pinched his nipple, making him gasp against his lips; he helped Jim to yank down the tight fabric of his leggings, leaving him in just a pair of scanty briefs, and moaned when a hand rested over the stretched fabric.

Freddie had a hand inside Jim’s boxers, a hand he was rocking into, cheeks hot and flushed and moaning against his lips-

They broke apart when there was a knock on the door. 

“Fuck, you’re fucking kidding me-” Freddie murmured breathlessly, pulling his tights back up over his hips as fast as he could. He looked Jim over - shirtless, out of breath, pink spots on his cheeks - and surged up to kiss him once again. “You’re never hiding that.” He muttered.

“Fuck off.” He swatted Freddie’s ass as he picked up his t-shirt from the floor. “You’re answering the door.”

“Christ.” Freddie brushed himself down quickly and looked himself over in the hallway mirror before he answered the door - his heart was still racing, and he was still blushing, but there was only so much he could do.

Oliver stood in the doorway, one of Giovanni’s arms around his waist - Freddie burst into a smile at the sight of them.

It was then he noticed the little boy on Oliver’s hip.

“Oh my God-” He said, breathless once again. “Olly, who-”

“Surprise!” Oliver grinned, leaning up to kiss Freddie’s cheek. “We thought you’d like to meet your grandson.”

“You’re kidding me.” His eyes were wide and he couldn’t stop smiling. “Oh my God, what’s happening?”

“Freddie?” Jim wandered into the hallway, only to have the same exact reaction. He was still shirtless, and it didn’t take much imagination between Freddie’s ruined hair and the crumpled state of Jim’s trousers to predict what they’d been doing - Oliver preferred not to think about it. “Olly, darling, who’s this?” He asked excitedly.

“If you let me into the house, I’ll tell you all of the details.” He laughed as he followed them into the lounge. He sat on the snuggle chair - he’d been having furious competitions with Freddie about who got to sit there for at least the last ten years - with the little boy in his arms, and Freddie immediately sat beside him. “This is Raphael.” He said softly. “Gio and I have decided to foster for a little while.”

“How old is he?” Freddie asked, watching the little boy as he blinked at him curiously.

“He’s three.” He grinned. “Raf, sweetheart, this is your baba.”

Two little arms reached for Freddie, and he felt almost like crying as he took him in his arms. “Hi, darling!” He said, voice soft and so excited. 

“Baba!” He replied happily, looping his arms around Freddie’s neck.

“Oh, baby!” Freddie laughed and hugged him close and tight. “Olly, you’ve the sweetest little boy in the whole world!”

“He loves everybody at first sight. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Gio leaned over to smooth out one of his curls and chuckled. “Little Raphael.”

“God, he’s gorgeous. Is he Italian?” Jim asked. 

“Mum was Italian, Dad was English.” Gio grinned as Freddie stood up, letting the little boy reach for the crystals on the chandelier in the same way as Olly had in those first few weeks with them. “We signed the papers this morning.”

“I had no idea you were thinking of adopting.” Jim chuckled. “Most parents get at least some notice, Olly, darling.”

“Sorry, Pop.” He hugged his father tightly, cheek pressed to Jim’s shoulder though he was nearly taller than both his parents, and he’d far outgrown Freddie already. “I’m surprised you didn’t know. I’ve been calling Dad most nights asking about when you adopted me.”

“And there was me, just thinking you missed me.” Freddie laughed, and the warmth and happiness in his voice made Raphael start giggling in his arms. “Olly, I think I’m going to have to adopt him myself.”

Oliver laughed and took the little boy back when he reached over, pressing a kiss amongst his unruly curls. “I get to play Daddy for real now.” He smiled down at the little boy; Jim had to look away for a moment, so overwhelmed by how much he looked like Freddie had all those years ago. 

“You’re still so young yourself.” Freddie kissed his cheek as he stood beside him. 

“I never said I didn’t still need my Dad.” Oliver replied comfortingly. 

“Has he got any nicknames?” Jim asked curiously. 

Raphael eyed Jim curiously for a few moments. “Nonno.” He said quietly.

“That’s right, baby!” Gio said excitedly. “That’s your Nonno. Nonno and Baba.”

As soon as Oliver put him down on the floor, he ran over to Jim and pulled on the ruby ring on his left hand. “I like it!”

Jim sat on the floor and took it off, letting the little boy wear it. “It’s super big on you.” Jim kissed his forehead. “Your hands are so little!”

One little hand pressed against his and Raphael laughed, delighted. “You’re big.” He replied. 

“Much bigger than you.” Jim agreed, slipping off his eternity ring so the little boy could look.

“Why don’t you tell Nonno and Baba what names we call you?” Oliver asked Raphael, so happy that the little boy had taken such a shine to them.

“Papa says baby.” He grinned up at his father.

“We do call you baby a lot.” Gio agreed, sitting down beside Jim. “What else?”

“Sweetheart. Lovie.” He replied diligently. “Daddy says darling.”

“Just like his father.” Freddie grinned at Oliver, who blushed just a little. 

“Anything else?” Oliver asked him.

“Teddy!” He said excitedly. “Daddy calls me Teddy.”

“Because I’m Bear, so I thought my little one should be Teddy.” He smiled at Freddie, resting a hand on his shoulder when he choked up a little. 

“Fuck, I love you so much.” He whispered, pulling his son in for a hug, so tighter, tighter even than the day he’d watched him drive away with all of his possessions as he set out for a flat in Covent Garden. “Christ, Olly, you are the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Oliver smiled and hugged him back, feeling the strength of their love through the simple embrace. “I love you too, Dad.” He said softly. 

Raphael stood up and walked over to Freddie; he bumped down onto the ground and hugged his leg and the silly rainbow leg warmer he wore on his right leg only. “I think you managed to get the most affectionate child in the whole world.” Freddie picked up the little boy and watched the smile grow on his face. “Hi!”

The little boy rested his head against Freddie’s chest and smiled; the evening was getting on a little, and he was getting tired with all the excitement of the day. “He reminds me of when you were little.” Freddie smiled over at Oliver. “Your father and I had absolutely no idea what we were doing, but you didn’t turn out too badly.”

“I was scared of you at first.” Oliver chuckled. “And Rafa was terrified of me. And then suddenly- I don’t know, I must have earned his trust, he just came running to me. It was like nobody had shown him any love for years.”

“I remember I kissed your head on that first day, and you looked at me like I was magical. Kids don’t know what they haven’t had their whole lives.” Freddie rocked the little boy back and forth - his arms had longed for that feeling ever since his children had grown.

“Can I speak to you for a minute?” Giovanni asked Jim, resting a hand lightly on his arm. “Away from Olly?”

“Yeah, of course.” He stood up and held out a hand to help him up from the floor. “Boys, we’re going to go and make some tea.” He announced. “What would Raphael like, Olly?”

“Milk.” The little boy murmured himself, and Jim smiled.

He shut the old kitchen door behind them and filled up the kettle before he set it down on the stove. “So, what can I do for you?”

“I-” His cheeks flushed as Jim leaned against the counter and smiled at him. “God, I don’t know why I’m so nervous.”

“Neither do I. It’s only me.” He chuckled. “We lived in the same house for three years, I wouldn’t have thought I was a scary person.”

“You’re not, that’s why I can’t believe I’m nervous.” He sat on the kitchen table and smiled. “I want to marry Olly.”

“It’s about time.” Jim grinned at him. “Are you looking for my blessing?”

“It’s all part of the tradition, isn’t it? I ask you for your son’s hand in marriage.” He smiled shyly. “You don’t think we’re too young?”

“You’re twenty-seven, he’s twenty-three, and you’ve got a child. That seems like perfect timing to me.” He smiled. “I can’t imagine anybody I’d rather give my son away to.”

Giovanni threw his arms around Jim and he smiled, hugging the boy tightly. “I wanted to ask you- how would you feel if I took Olly’s last name?” He asked shyly. “If I was Gio Hutton, instead of Gio Romano?”

“I think that would be lovely.” He smiled comfortingly. “Is there any special reason you want to take his name?”

“Just- I’ve always felt more at home here than with my actual family.” He admitted. “When you let me move in because I had nowhere else to go, I really felt like I had a family that loved me, and you never begrudged me that the whole three years I lived with you. I don’t want Olly to take a name I don’t have any real connection to in the first place.”

“I told you, darling, this is your home as much as it is anybody else’s. If anything went wrong, Freddie and I would rather we slept on the sofa so that you could all have beds.” Jim smiled. “Is the little one going to take Hutton, then?”

“That’s what I’m planning. Olly was telling me about when you adopted him, and how much it meant to him to have the same last name as you and Freddie, and I never really thought about what it symbolised to him. But having the name Hutton - it was the first real symbol that he was loved and adored. I don’t want to take that away from him.” He smiled shyly.

“He told everybody his whole name for months. He used to introduce himself as Bear Hutton, and he told everybody that he shared the name with his Daddy.” Jim smiled, his heart full of love. “You’re the same as Freddie. Freddie took Hutton because he didn’t identify with Bulsara, and he didn’t want to be associated with his parents at that point.”

“Exactly.” He agreed, taking a couple of mugs out of the cupboard so he could make tea. Freddie still had his ‘daddy’ mug, though Jim’s ‘pop’ one had been broken many years ago - he had a new one, hand-painted and fired by his lover in the kiln at the opera house. He chose those, Oliver’s favourite baby blue one, and a grey one that had been designated Gio’s mug, as well as a little cup for the little boy’s milk. “So if I proposed to him, I’d have your blessing?”

“Oh, a thousand times over.” Jim kissed his head as he leaned to get the milk from the fridge. “I’d be very proud to watch you walk down the aisle together.”

* * *

“We were wondering-” Oliver started; he was curled up in the snuggle chair, practically in Gio’s lap, with his son cuddled up to his chest, fast asleep-

Freddie threw a silent moment of gratitude to the universe that he mirrored the behaviour he’d seen growing up, and that the behaviour he’d learned was behaviour of mutual love, adoration, affection - he’d learned to cuddle and kiss and tell people they were loved, and he’d learned to never let anything undermine his displays of love. He hadn’t learned what Freddie had learned, he hadn’t learned that he wasn’t worth the air he breathed, nor had he learned that bruises and tears were signs of love - he hadn’t learned to accept a finger being laid on him the wrong way, and he hadn’t learned to be quiet when a sleazy older man came into his bedroom one night when he had no real understanding of sex and yanked his pajama trousers off.

He’d broken the cycle.

He had broken the cycle that had threatened to perpetuate itself - he’d brought one more man into the world who had the power to say no and the power to defend himself, to value himself, and to love himself.

“We were wondering if you’d maybe help us with childcare a few nights a week.” Oliver smiled hopefully, cradling the little boy in his lap. “I mean- now I look back on it, I’ve no idea how you managed to balance all of us with your careers. One seems practically impossible.”

“Practice, my darling, and a lot of help from your grandparents.” Freddie laughed, tucking his head against Jim’s chest; he was tired, so tired, and everyone in that room could tell how hard he worked to keep his eyes open. “You just don’t have the luxury of us being retired, like I did.”

“Does that mean-” He started nervously, and Jim swatted Freddie’s knee playfully.

“He’s teasing, darling. We’d love to help you with your little one.” Jim kissed the side of Freddie’s head, and he smiled lazily. “You’ll have to try and match it up to the days that we’re not working. Your father’s still taking on far too many shows.”

“Oh, not this again.” Freddie rolled his eyes, though he smiled. “I take three shows a week, Olly, and you’d think I was doing nine for how much he goes on.”

“We tend to take the same days each week-” Jim started, leaning down to kiss Freddie’s petulant pout briefly.

“You do Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, I know.” He smiled. “Because everyone wants to see you together, so you work the most popular days. Or, at least, that’s what Olga said.”

“We’re planning on working Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday.” Gio explained, brushing his fingers through Oliver’s hair. “So that’s two days we’d appreciate your help with.”

“I can’t imagine anything better, darling. I expect to still see you here every Sunday for your Pop’s Sunday dinner.” Freddie grinned at the both of them. “Especially now you’ve got the little one. Has Lulah met him yet?”

“She’s in New York this week, she’s on a Vogue shoot.” Oliver explained. “Something about the legend of the Huttons.”

“And they didn’t include us?” Freddie looked at Jim and laughed. “How rude. Well, she didn’t say she wouldn’t be here on Sunday, so I’m presuming she still will be. She rarely misses a chance to see her Pop.”

“How did you deal with four?” Oliver asked abruptly, insanely curious. “Because there wasn’t much of a gap between us, either. We were all little at once.”

“We got used to how crazy you were to have around, and then we found children that were more willing to go to bed.” Freddie winked at him.

Oliver laughed. “It must have been a bitch to balance.”

“For more reasons than you’d imagine.” Freddie admitted, voice more serious. “I don’t suppose you remember, but I wasn’t very well when you were very little. Just after we got Reuben I was in the hospital for a while, so a lot of the logistics went to your Pop.”

“We had a very good nursery and a lot of family around us.” Jim stroked his hair lightly. 

“What happened?” He asked softly.

“You know what happened to me when I was younger.” Freddie took Jim’s hand and lightly squeezed his fingers; sometimes, nearly twenty-five years on, he still needed the comfort. “Sometimes memories and trauma can come back, and if you weren’t very good at dealing with it at the time, it can multiply. And a lot of things- there are things, darling, that I can’t bring myself to tell you about yet, and that’s my problem. I was never very good at dealing with the problems as they happened, but I knew I had to try my best to recover because I wasn’t about to be in and out of hospital while you grew up, or worse.” He smiled shyly. “So your Pop was very good to all of us until I really started to heal.”

“Sometimes I think it’s crazy that you managed to deal with everything.” He admitted. 

“You were never hard to deal with, sweetheart. Your Pop and I longed for children, and we consider ourselves very lucky that we ended up with four of the best children we could ask for.” Freddie smiled at him. “Learn to depend on other people. Life was easier when we stopped trying to do absolutely everything.”

“Start with finding your little one a nursery to take the pressure off of you during the day, and then work from there.” Jim smiled. “And even if we’re at work, we can always help. It’s not like either of us need to rehearse a dance we’ve already performed a hundred times before.”

“I’d rather spend time with a toddler again anyway.” Freddie grinned.

* * *

He fell back heavily onto the sofa, gasping at the thigh that planted between his own, and laughed breathlessly. “You’ve never liked being interrupted.” He smirked and leaned up to kiss him.

“Darling, it was a wonderful interruption, but it was an interruption all the same.” He yanked Freddie’s tights down, hair hanging in his face, but when he looked up he was smiling. “Getting you nearly naked and then being denied is like torture.”

“A man of priorities.” Freddie wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss, slow and sweet and oh-so-dirty as he kicked off his tights over the back of the sofa. Jim rolled their hips together, leaving him gasping, hands grabbing onto his hips and thrusting up to chase the friction. “I get the impression that I’m not going to have the time to process becoming a grandad until you’ve had your way with me.”

“Too much talking, I think.” Jim got his shirt off and admired the way he looked beneath him, sprawled out over their sofa cushions. “God, you’re gorgeous.”

Freddie laughed and kissed him again, arching up as kisses trailed down his neck and a tongue lazily lapped over his nipple. “Christ-” He gasped.

“I may be a grandad, but I haven’t lost it yet.” Jim smirked, one hand sneaking below the hem of his waistline, as if to punctuate, to prove, to match the confidence of the words muttered against the hollow of his throat.

**Author's Note:**

> This probably won't be a long fic - if it does turn out to be then I promise I will only get going with it once Boutonniere is finished! I know so many of you love that one and there will be no neglecting it, that is my promise :)
> 
> I'd love to hear your thoughts! There are so emotions in here that I drove myself crazy while writing it - what did you think?


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